The midwifes role

[Purple_Nelly]

Hi there,

I am currently studying to become an adult nurse, we have to do 'EU directives' in which we research other specialities, one being midwifery. One of the learning outcomes is to talk to a midwife in practice to ask them to explain the role of the midwife during pregnancy and childbirth. However I do not know any midwifes at all, so I was hoping someone here would be able to help me out, with a short description.

Many Thanks

Jenny

[NICUmiiki, DNP, NP]

My GYN office has a bunch of CNMs. When you become pregnant you can be placed with one of them as your pregnancy care provider. From what I've experienced, a CNM provides pregnancy care and delivery services like a OB would except high risk. In the case of my friend, she never saw an OB/GYN during her pregnancy. Medicaid here also requires the use of CNM in the case of regular low-risk pregnancies.

disclaimer: I did no research here, just going off of health care clinic.

[queenanneslace, ADN, MSN, APRN, CNM]

Not that it makes a lot of difference, but are you looking for the midwife's role in the UK or the US or in general?

Maternity care and use of midwives is very different in the UK than in the US. One place to get your question answered from the UK perspective is StudentMidwife.NET ~ An education based midwifery community and social hub for students and aspiring midwives in the UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and the rest of the world.

The role of American nurse-midwives varies quite a bit, depending upon the type of practice they're in, and the locations where they work.

[Purple_Nelly]

Thankyou I am in the UK so will check that out.

[NICUmiiki, DNP, NP]

I'm sorry, I live in the US.

[midwife228]

It's interesting that Medicaid requires the use of CNMs for low-risk pregnancies where you are; what a great idea! Midwives have a proven record of effectiveness with at-risk populations. I hope that health care reform will lead to more widespread use of midwives.